Photos from the Semi Truckers’ CARB Protest

byEric FredericksonAugust 31, 2009

Last Friday, Sacramento was quite busy for a change. Most Fridays in Sacramento are pretty quiet now that state workers and other companies have gone to Furlough Fridays. However, last Friday near lunch time was the worst traffic congestion I have seen since living here. The reasons: a constant stream of semi trucks rounding the State Capitol protesting the California Air Resources Board (CARB), another Tea Party protest, and protest about water rights.

I snapped some photos with my smartphone of the line of trucks going around the Capitol. Most of them had signs to “Dump CARB and give 8,500 teachers jobs.” While giving jobs to teachers is laudable, eliminating air quality protection agencies is not. Obviously, they are upset about CARB’s upcoming regulations for reducing greenhouse gas emissions established by AB 32, the Global Warming Solutions Act. I am sure it will affect their business, however, climate change is happening, it is probably due to manmade pollution, and doing nothing could be at our peril. So, while I sympathize with truck drivers about the economic impacts of the regulations, status quo is not acceptable.

Truckers Clog L Street in Downtown Sacramento

Truckers Also Clog N Street in Downtown Sacramento

I also was asked if I wanted my photo taken with the Sacramento PD. How could I resist?

Economic impact? You have no idea. Please do a little research on the specific topic of CARB and AB32 before you spout tired old lines about climate change and automatically go on the defense of something you know nothing about.

OK, so fill us in on the economic impact. Tired old lines about climate change? I read reports from scientists that have proven there has been a significant change in global temperatures over the last few decades. And something I know nothing about? I wrote a part of the scoping report for AB 32. I think I might know a little bit about it.